Terceira Azores: tips on planning your trip

“Terceira Azores: tips on planning your trip” is the third installment of a series of nine blog posts about the Azores islands. The posts are meant to give you a detailed overview of each one of them to help you plan your trip, whether you decide to visit one, two, or all nine. If you have any questions or a specific request, feel free to drop me an email and I’ll do my best to answer it or to put you in touch with the right contact.

About Terceira

Perfect island destination for fans of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, History and underwater treasures.

Terceira is the second biggest island of the Azores, is known as the “lilac island”, and is home to the oldest city in the Azores and UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1983, Angra do Heroismo. By now, and as you will read further in the other posts, you’ve realized that every single one of the islands has a very peculiar and unique identity — one is not more important than the other, they’re simply different and the Azoreans live well with those differences (most of the time).

Initially called “island of Jesus Christ” upon its discovery in the 1430’s, the island was later named as Terceira (Portuguese for third, as a reference to it being the third island to be discovered). The settlers arrived later (compared to the first two, Santa Maria and Sao Miguel), in the late 1400’s, but in the next 200 years, the island quickly bloomed to become the official stopover for ships traveling between Europe, America, and India — in 1836 Charles Darwin stopped here to take a well-deserved 3-day break from his recent expedition to the Galapagos. (According to his journals there was nothing important here to see. Well… I beg to differ…)

Linked to the Portuguese Civil War between liberals and absolutists in the 19th century, and to the Second World War (as the chosen location for a British Military Base, later handed over to the United States) — the island is far from being a less important piece of a larger puzzle of world heritage and History.

If I had to find a new nickname for Terceira, I’d call it the “cultural island” — and I don’t mean it in a snobbish way. It simply is a way to sum up what the island does best. And with the background I just told you about doesn’t it make perfect sense? They own it!

Top things to do in Terceira island

The Praia da Vitoria bay is perfect for surfing, bodyboarding, and windsurfing. The Angra do Heroismo bay is the perfect spot for those who wish to combine their love of diving with their enthusiasm for History, exploring the underwater Archeological Park. Full of surprises, isn’t it?

Recommended Local Companies

Please note that I’m not listing ALL the local companies. These are tailored suggestions that fit the editorial tone of this blog. To narrow down the list I used the following criteria:

Local companies listed on visitazores.com. I use the term “local companies” for companies that are owned by locals and/or operate locally only.

A website in English where you can easily browse through photos and gather all needed data for an informed decision (such as prices and previous customers’ ratings).

Easy to follow on social media and/or easy to contact from abroad (with a working email)

Dislcaimer: prices may vary over time and faster than I can update them here. Please double check all prices on these companies’ official websites!

The company embodies the spirit of the island: “Terceira island is known for being an “amusement park” not only for its festivals but also for the sense of adventure.” Rated as Excellent on TripAdvisor

The company’s mission: “We do not just organize tours, we do not just guide people, our team really wants to share with you the wonderful experience of living in this magical place, this set of islands lost in the middle of the Atlantic. We want to show you everything we know because we believe that sharing is the best experience.” Rated as Excellent on TripAdvisor

Top cultural events in Terceira island

It’s safe to say, and I believe the locals won’t mind me saying it, that Terceira is the “party island”. Something is always happening and everything can be an excuse to celebrate; if not, they’ll find one.

Satire comes out on the streets in the “Carnaval dances”, following an ancient tradition, where carefully written songs are meant to critique, but not offend, the current local and National events — during this season lighthearted mockery is allowed, it is “Carnaval” after all. Later in June the popular festivities celebrating St. John are more fun and games than religion, with a special focus on the “popular marches” — every year there is a different theme for the “Sanjoaninas”, highlighting a special date or event. These local dance groups showcase the best of local talent in choreography, original music, and costume design. Yes, they take it very seriously!

For the Jazz music enthusiasts, AngraJazz happens in October (the first edition was in 1999). Don’t expect an elitist festival only appreciated by jazz connoisseurs. Its purpose is to spread knowledge and jazz music to the whole island.

The bullfights are also a big tradition in Terceira but recent events and discussions about whether or not “animal cruelty” should continue as a tradition is a tricky topic I don’t have time to discuss here. Nor this is the right forum to do so. It is a cultural event that’s important to the majority of the local community, so I’m mentioning it here for what it is.

Azores food: what to eat in Terceira

Let me introduce you to the most famous version of “alcatra”: local tender beef, with a sauce enriched with onions, garlic, bay leaves, pepper, and wine, slowly roasted inside a clay pot. The secret weapon is the clay pot. To dip in that thick sauce, there is nothing better than some slices of “massa sovada” (a typical local sweet bread). “Alcatra” doesn’t need a side dish fancier than that.

Desserts and pastries are simple but rich like the famous “donas amelias”, with a hint of cinnamon. Well, after a meal of “alcatra” you kind of have to take things down a notch — or go for a hike. Rice pudding and “coscoroes” are also great choices; not exactly light, but when in Terceira…

Local souvenirs

A box of “donas amelias” is mandatory, whether you’re a foodie or not. For the advanced local cuisine enthusiasts, if you manage to get a hold of a local “alcatra” family recipe, you can’t leave without the dish’s secret weapon: the clay pot.

The local embroidery work in white, raw or red linen, which show some English influence in the design and in the technique, is also a popular souvenir. Probably not something you’d think of as a souvenir, but still a fine way to support the local handicraft, and step away from the same old same old fridge magnets.

#angrajazz #terceira

A photo posted by Garcia (@garciaffilipe) on Oct 2, 2015 at 5:19am PDT

Where to stay in Terceira island

Please note that I’m not listing ALL accommodation possibilities. These are tailored suggestions that fit the editorial tone of this blog. To narrow down the list of places to stay on the island, I used the following criteria:

A traditional two-storey building within an 18th-century property classified as a historic landmark since 2010. Carefully restored and decorated. All furniture and decorations are original. All accommodations have a private bathroom and Internet. Breakfast is included. Rated as Excellent on TripAdvisor

Four different rural houses with different styles and different back stories. Premises include lots of different areas that recreate the traditional farm life. Local cuisine restaurant also in the property. Rating of 7.3 on Booking.com*

This farm’s roots go back to the 16th century. The house is located in the protected area of Monte Brasil. 9 Double rooms, 1 suite, 4 rooms with private garden and 2 rooms with sea view. Free Internet. Rating of 9.0 on Booking.com

Three traditional rural houses fully refurbished using locally sourced materials. Two gardens with endemic plants. The farm had different uses through time, including a public elementary school. Rating of 7.9 on Booking.com

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About Tripper

Hi, I’m Sandra!

I am a Portuguese freelance web content writer and travel blogger born in the Azores and currently based in Lisbon. Since 2014 I’ve been blogging about travel, culture, and the people I meet in between here at Tripper, a blog about sustainable cultural tourism.

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